A good 37 years after Nike introduced the ‘Just do it’ tagline, and after several iterations and spinoffs of “If you let me play (1995)” to “Dream crazy (2018), the American shoe brand has brought together big contemporary names like Carlos Alcaraz, Saquon Barkley, Caitlin Clark, Tara Davis-Woodhall, LeBron James, Scottie Scheffler and Vinicius Jr for its remix ‘Why do it?’ campaign.
While the advertisement is alright, the usual slow mo dazzle and clever voiceover, the ad has an ending cackle worth waiting for, a slightly edgy, mad end to a rousing score. No surprise then that one of India’s biggest present-day mavericks of cricket, Shreyas Iyer is part of the campaign, the only Indian.
Chinese tennis player Qinwen Zheng is the only other Asian, besides Brazilian skater Rayssa Leal and Real Madrid face of anti-racism Vinicius Jr.
Alcaraz and Scheffler remain the ‘good boy’ representations.
This is how the ad goes:
Why do it?
Why would you make it harder on yourself?
Why chance it?
Why put it on the line?
With so much at stake
With so much room to fail
Why risk it?
Why would you dare?
Seriously, why?
You could give everything you have, and still lose.
But my question is
What if you don’t?
(Hahaha cackles)
Iyer fetches up midway, with cricket at closeup, as the camera looks through his helmet grill at puffed cheeks and exhaling, right before smacking a dreaded pull shot.
The Punjab Kings captain, who’s led Delhi and Kolkata fairly successfully before, made news recently for not getting picked to India’s Asia Cup T20 team.
While he gets strung along routinely by all and sundry, he goes about doing his thing with an aura of a king without a crown or throne.
The cliched press release said, “The campaign featuring Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer reinforces Nike’s leadership in shaping the future of sport, the brand’s dedication to serving and inspiring every athlete, and its commitment to meeting today’s generation on the field of play — encouraging youth to discover new ways to compete, grow and win.”
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Designed to connect with young athletes where they are, the campaign reframes greatness as a choice, not an outcome — handing “Just Do It” to today’s generation and emboldening them to write the next chapter with a Why do it anthem film which features a vivid tapestry of athletes, (more cliches) capturing the rhythm of modern ambition: movement shaped by passion, competition reimagined as collaboration and the courage to show up authentically in every moment.
“‘Just Do It’ isn’t just a slogan — it’s a spirit that lives in every heartbeat of sport. It’s the belief that, together, we can inspire, unite and elevate ourselves beyond what we thought possible,” said Nicole Graham, EVP & Chief Marketing Officer. “With ‘Why Do It?,’ we’re igniting that spark for a new generation, daring them to step forward with courage, trust in their own potential and discover the greatness that unfolds the moment they decide to begin.”
The film’s striking message speaks directly to today’s athletes, who are growing up in a world where trying, and failing, can feel daunting; where taking a leap feels harder than ever; and where the temptation to quit is louder than any reason to keep going, the release added.
“Against this backdrop, the film stands as a challenge to the hesitant generation: Greatness isn’t handed out, it’s chosen — and sometimes the most important choice is to simply begin.
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“Greatness is something you earn with every choice, every workout and every comeback,” says Barkley, a Super Bowl champion running back. “I’ve had to fight through setbacks, but that’s what makes the journey real and uniquely yours.”
“You won’t make every shot and you won’t win every game,” said women’s basketball phenom Caitlin Clark. “But every time you step on the court and compete, you have a chance to be great.”
“Just Do It” had launched with 80-year-old runner Walt Stack jogging across the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a bold statement: Sport is for everyone.
Over time, Michael Jordan, Serena Williams and Kobe Bryant, have featured. .
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“Tennis teaches you quickly that you can’t control everything, but you can always choose to fight for that next point,” said Carlos Alcaraz, Spanish tennis champion. “Sport is about that courage to keep going, to stay fearless and to believe in yourself no matter the pressure or the moment
